Nine Ethiopian detainees in Lang’ata Police cells go on hunger strike, demand repatriation
Nine foreign nationals being held in police custody in Nairobi went on a hunger strike protesting delays in their repatriation to their home country.
The nine detainees, all of Ethiopian origin, boycotted supper on March 12, 2026 as they complained that they had overstayed in police cells and accused authorities of delaying their return home.
Authorities said efforts have already been made to fast-track their deportation through the Directorate of Immigration Services but the process has not yet been completed.
Police indicated that the detainees have been in custody for a prolonged period and urgent intervention is needed to resolve the matter.
Despite the protest, officials confirmed that the nine detainees remain in stable condition as authorities continue to pursue arrangements for their repatriation.
The group is among about 100 that were in the past two weeks arrested from separate places in Nairobi as police burst a human smuggling syndicate.
Last week, police rescued at least 70 foreign nationals during a similar operation targeting suspected human trafficking in Ruai, Nairobi.
The officers stormed a residential house in Ruai Block 10 area, where they discovered dozens of foreign nationals locked inside under unclear circumstances.
Police said 70 individuals were rescued from the house.
Of these, 66 are Ethiopian nationals while four are Eritrean nationals.
One suspect, a Kenyan, was arrested at the scene in connection with the incident.
The rescued individuals were taken into custody pending processing and further investigations.
Police said they are working to establish the circumstances under which they were being held and whether the case is linked to a wider human trafficking network.
The incident comes amid police operations on suspected smuggling incidents.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the country.
The group said they were running from problems in their country and headed to South Africa, seeking greener pastures.
Police said most of the aliens use the Moyale route as they head to South Africa and the Middle East, oblivious of the dangers ahead.
Tens of aliens are often arrested in various places in the country as they wait to be moved to their next destinations.
Police and immigration officials have deplored increased cases of Ethiopian aliens nabbed in the country while in transit.
Officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit are conducting joint operations to deal with human smuggling.
Most of those arrested come to Kenya to seek jobs or are in transit.
What is puzzling is how the immigrants manage to evade many police roadblocks mounted from the Moyale border, which they use to Nairobi.